Steven Gerrard

[villalad21]

2 minutes ago, Spoony said:

Let’s face it players want to play for this guy probably more than for Smith. He’s a legend of the game and he’s clearly demanding. They must really want to impress him. 

That’s nothing against Smith at all I just suspect Gerrard is what we need for the step up. He’s more of a ball breaker and has that star quality that the players will respect. 

Part of why I've been desperate for a big name for a long time.

Obviously you don't appoint a big name just for the sake of it but Gerrard clearly has incredible talent to go along with it.

Was there for everyone to see at Rangers.

[PieFacE]

So good so far

[Mark Albrighton]

9 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

Think so to.

A manager bounce normally ends after the first defeat but Gerrard has managed to get a reaction out of them.

And our inability to come back from losing positions was always a thing that annoyed me. It was like we surrendered whenever we went a goal down.

Just a reminder. DS lost 2 of his first 3 here, but the general good form was considered as a new manager bounce.

On 12/01/2019 at 21:11, villalad21 said:

Yea the honeymoon period was a great time, but we're back home and back to work now, it's time he shows what he is made of as a coach.

It's very common to have that new manager effect but it wears out eventually.

At the moment DS is ticking every wrong box to me.

So Smith was reaping the benefit of a honeymoon period/new manager bounce despite Villa losing early on. But Gerrard isn’t.

I’m not going to keep pointing out inconsistencies here as that will be somewhat tiresome for all. But I’m more than aware of some different standards being set here.

[Mantis]

Worth pointing out that Sherwood lost his first two league games with us as well.

[Strog]

The difference for me is that there is a more steely determination from the players and that comes from the manager. Great job so far!

[Mantis]

On the Smith vs Gerrard stuff, I do wonder if this might turn out to be similar to Southampton with Adkins/Pochettino. Adkins also brought Southampton up and when he was sacked a fair few in the media questioned the wisdom of it, but Pochettino then pushed Southampton on to the next level. He was in a similar stage to Gerrard in his managerial development as well when he took on the Southampton job.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

34 minutes ago, Xela said:

 

Just watching this now.

 

Anyway, I was actually worried in the first half. It looked all too familiar.

 

Impressed with the come back.

[Mark Albrighton]

7 minutes ago, Mantis said:

On the Smith vs Gerrard stuff, I do wonder if this might turn out to be similar to Southampton with Adkins/Pochettino. Adkins also brought Southampton up and when he was sacked a fair few in the media questioned the wisdom of it, but Pochettino then pushed Southampton on to the next level. He was in a similar stage to Gerrard in his managerial development as well when he took on the Southampton job.

I don’t disagree, I think looking at it slightly removed from it now, the correct decision was made (even if the form becomes a bit patchy over the next couple of months). I’m actually of the opinion that if a change was going to happen next summer - and I think it would have done, there’s a sound logic in making the change when it happened.

And the comparisons between the pair should (hopefully) become fewer and fewer as we go along and cease altogether by next season.

Just highlighting an inconsistency in opinion of one good manager start compared to another. 

[VillaAlex]

Fantastic start, what Gerrard has shown in all 4 games is that he can read things very well and is reactive with his in game management. I think we've had four strong second half performances under him. Its been clear to see today and vs Palace and Brighton how our shape changed in game even before half time.

One concern is how slow we are starting games, in particular today and City we were fortunate on a few occasions. I think if we start in a similar manner Vs Liverpool they could punish us very early on. 

Hopefully they work on that as it's the only complaint so far and things are looking very promising.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Is there anything he hasn't seen " from afar " ? lol

[Wainy316]

I like this man

[Tom13]

14 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Is there anything he hasn't seen " from afar " ? lol

 

[Tom13]

He mentioned there are a couple of players who aren't quite there with what he wants to do yet. Who do we think they are? Luiz and Buendia? To me everyone looks like they're trying to do what he wants.

[Delphinho123]

He’s either really good at half time team talks or really bad, can’t work out which!

Palace second half we were poor compared to the first half and today we played some of the best football in the last 12 months in the second half versus a poor first half.

In all seriousness, love what he’s doing here. I think he’ll start really working out what he needs to improve us in the transfer windows over the next couple of weeks and I hope he’s backed.

Hes nothing at all like what I expected. He’s fairly erudite, informed and has that winning mentality we saw in him as a player. 

He’s given us new belief. 

[MaVilla]

2 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

He mentioned there are a couple of players who aren't quite there with what he wants to do yet. Who do we think they are? Luiz and Buendia? To me everyone looks like they're trying to do what he wants.

i was about to comment on this.

Interesting comment by Gerrard.

[cheltenham_villa]

4 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

He mentioned there are a couple of players who aren't quite there with what he wants to do yet. Who do we think they are? Luiz and Buendia? To me everyone looks like they're trying to do what he wants.

I think it might be Watkins. I noticed him pulling him over a few times to talk to him, Watkins didn't ever look to happy about it. 

[gwi1890]

5 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

He mentioned there are a couple of players who aren't quite there with what he wants to do yet. Who do we think they are? Luiz and Buendia? To me everyone looks like they're trying to do what he wants.

Buendia busted his gut all game and showed intensity, he did the dirty side of the game well

[Jareth]

42 minutes ago, Mantis said:

On the Smith vs Gerrard stuff, I do wonder if this might turn out to be similar to Southampton with Adkins/Pochettino.

It's totally what occurred to me too, when we made the swap that is. I was very concerned that we should jettison Smith for a manager unproven in this league - but 3 wins from 4 and nearly a draw with the billion squid squad of citeh - well it's huge, surely the most successful manager swap of the season so far. We all felt the sky was the limit with Smith when it was going well, but we are playing at a level above that now, and only 4 games in and every squad player looking good.  

[Rightdm00]

2 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

He mentioned there are a couple of players who aren't quite there with what he wants to do yet. Who do we think they are? Luiz and Buendia? To me everyone looks like they're trying to do what he wants.

Installing a high press doesn't happen over night.  You can see the press break down at times.  Some large gaps open in our midfield when we don't press as a unit.  Our slow start in general.

Absolutely ace we are picking up points while going through the learning curve of installing a new system. 

[Wainy316]

I think the main difference is with the midfield.  Hard to believe it's the same players.

We're at peak McGinn again and Nakamba is like a player reborn.